“She needs a healer.” I brought Audryn against my wheezing chest and looked around, but everyone stayed frozen in place. “Find a fucking healer!”
I’d known it was a fool's errand to return and request such a thing, especially with the travel ban, but I had to try. A purple gown caught my attention. Queen Arden stood near the whitestone walls, as if she were merely just an observer and not someone who had healing magic. I wanted to demand her help, but our alliance was not public.
The chef ran out the back door of the castle, pulling a robed female by the hand. The woman looked back several times but continued in our direction.
“This is Mirael.” The man panted. “I’m Draven. Audryn was kind to both of us.”
“She’s kind to everyone,” I snapped.
“Kind of a bitch,” a golden-haired woman joked. I scowled at her. She raised her eyebrows and glanced away as she fluffed her cut-off blue dress.
“Mirael is the healer to the royals, she can help.” Draven stumbled over his words. “With your permission, of course, King Grave. But Audryn is our friend.”
Moving Audryn down onto her back, I kneeled next to her, sitting back on my heels. It didn’t matter who worked on her as long as they helped. Fisher would get whatever magic was leftover once Audryn was better, and if that meant he died, so be it. I’d probably receive an admonishment from Audryn later, but I’d rather endure the scolding than have her die.
Mirael placed her hands on Audryn’s abdomen and drew back. “What happened to her?”
We sat in silence. She wouldn’t want me to tell the healer, but the risk of not could be worse. Audryn’s fierce independence was what got us there in the first place, but for whatever reason, I couldn’t admit what she had done.
“She burned something toxic,” Amalee said for me. “The room was filled with smoke, and we found both of them unconscious.”
“And what was it?” the woman urged. “What did she burn?”
“Oleander,” I blurted.
Eyes landed on me, but I kept my gaze down at Audryn’s wan face. I brushed her hair back with a shaky hand, exposing aslightly bruised cheek. I knew the damage was from the prince without needing to hear it. His death was kinder than what he deserved.
“Okay, that’s helpful.” Mirael closed her eyes as the hum of magic flowed into the air.
A long purple gown moved in my periphery, and my eyes lifted just as Queen Arden knelt down and placed her hand on Fisher. The guard stirred to consciousness, but it wasn’t until his eyes fluttered open that he started screaming.
“Get her away from Audryn! Get her away!” His shouts were hoarse and frantic. “Step away from her.”
“Lay back and rest, or you’ll do yourself no good.” Queen Arden directed the guard as his body shook from coughing. But Fisher’s demands became more crazed.
“She did something to Audryn!” His eyes were wild, and the moment Mirael looked up at me and I saw her expression, I knew what he was saying was the truth.
The woman pulled back and retreated just out of my reach. I was too ill to get to my feet and chase after her, despite trying.
“She would never! You’re a liar,” Draven accused Fisher. “How dare you say such a thing!”
The commotion drew the witches, who started encircling the healer. They were well-known and one of the most brutal covens in all the Oras. Banned to the islands, their practices were even too much for most of their own kind. Thankfully, my father had taught me just how far their brutality extended, so I knew not to cross them. However, hurting one of their own, or in this casemy own, the woman’s fate was sealed.
“Stop,” I demanded, knowing she had information we needed. “You can’t kill her.”
The Graystorm leader smiled. “Yet.”
“It wasn’t me,” Mirael pleaded. “Prince Sutton had a deal with Elowen—she’s responsible! I was just in the room. There,only to determine if Audryn could provide an heir to the prince, and she could.”
“Elowen, you say?” The leader cocked her head. “Is she on the grounds?”
“Yes,” Mirael whispered, “in Sutton Castle.”
“Do excuse us, Colgrave,” the witch said, smiling. “We have our own matter to contend with, and will return to hold up our end of the bargain.”
“Bargain?” Audryn’s voice was weak. I hadn’t realized the Queen had been working to heal her. “What did you do, Col?” Audryn asked.
Looking down, I smiled. “I said you could bring whoever you wanted to Kuroden.” I shrugged. “We needed a way to get them there.”
